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Indian-origin couple’s tragic death in US: Suspect held, GoFundMe surpasses 30-day target in 24 hours
Maryland State Police have arrested Michael Coupet for DUI after a crash that killed Indian-origin couple in Howard County.
The Maryland State Police have apprehended and charged an individual suspected of driving under the influence, who was involved in a tragic accident that resulted in the death of an Indian-origin married couple in the United States over the past weekend.
Police have identified the couple as Venkata Asha Khanna Appana, 48, and Krishna Kishore Koti Kalapudi, 49, who were residing in Marvin, North Carolina. They were originally from Andhra Pradesh.
Suspect held
In a press release issued on January 5, the state authorities revealed that the 34-year-old suspect has been arrested. He has been identified as Michael Coupet, who is from Baltimore City, Maryland.
He was the driver of a Toyota Sequoia that collided with the couple's Chrysler Pacifica. Initial findings from the investigation suggest that Coupet was driving in the wrong direction at the time of the incident, leading to the tragic deaths in Howard County.
The suspect was transferred to the Howard County Detention Centre, where he is being held without bond.
The Indian-origin family, tragically impacted by the accident, was reportedly “returning home from India” after celebrating the New Year, as per a GoFundMe page.
Telugu NRI couple survives by their two kids
At the time of the accident, Venkata Asha Khanna Appana was driving the Chrysler Pacifica. She was pronounced dead at the scene after Coupet’s vehicle allegedly collided head-on with the Telugu family’s car. Her husband, Krishna Kishore, was transported to a local hospital, where he was subsequently declared dead.
According to the GoFundMe fundraiser, the Indian-origin family’s vehicle had two additional passengers: the couple’s 21-year-old daughter Shivani and their 16-year-old son Suchay. Both survived the crash.
The 21-year-old was rushed to a trauma centre by an ambulance, while the 16-year-old was airlifted by the Maryland State Police Aviation Command to a trauma centre.
The GoFundMe page created to support the couple's children in managing the financial challenges that lie ahead has stated that the couple has undergone major surgeries and continues to be in the ICU.
NRI couple's GoFundMe surpasses initial goal
The fundraiser has exceeded its initial goal of $350,000. According to a GoFundMe campaign, the organizers aimed to reach this target within 30 days. However, they accomplished this remarkable feat in just 24 hours.
While the target has been raised to $450,000 for the 30-day period, the fundraiser has already gathered donations totaling $473,420 and continues to grow.
